Delano is a working farm town on Highway 99 in northern Kern County, with a historic downtown core along Main Street, older residential blocks near the center, and newer subdivisions spreading to the east. The town’s agricultural heritage shows in its housing stock: modest mid-century homes on generous rectangular lots, many with deep backyards that were built for utility rather than show. That lot geometry is exactly what makes Delano a strong ADU town.
A detached ADU up to 1,200 square feet fits comfortably on most Delano lots. The deep rear yards in the older neighborhoods can carry a true one- or two-bedroom cottage with its own entrance and outdoor space, and the newer east-side subdivisions have the side-yard width to place a unit without crowding the main house. For multigenerational families — a common household structure in Delano — a detached unit gives grandparents or adult children a real home of their own on the family property.
Garage conversions are the other workhorse path in Delano. Many of the town’s older homes have existing garages or carports that convert cleanly into one-bedroom ADUs, keeping the project footprint inside what’s already built. Attached additions suit the deeper lots where a rear bump-out can add a bedroom suite, and junior ADUs up to 500 square feet offer the lowest-cost option: a self-contained space carved from the existing house for a parent or a young adult.
Delano ADU permits run through the city’s Community Development department, and California’s ministerial (by-right) approval process applies — a compliant project is approved on the merits of the plans, not through discretionary hearings. State law caps required side and rear setbacks at 4 feet and prohibits owner-occupancy requirements for standard ADUs. As with any valley farm town, we confirm utility service and access conditions during feasibility, since some parcels sit near active agricultural operations.
Rental demand in Delano is anchored by agriculture — packing houses, harvest crews, and the service businesses along the 99 corridor keep a steady tenant pool for clean, affordable units. Highway 99 also puts Bakersfield commuters within easy reach, widening the renter base. On the construction side, Delano’s older housing stock often needs electrical panel upgrades and sewer lateral checks before a second unit goes in, and we build that evaluation into every project from the start.
Ready to find out what your Delano lot can carry? ADU Cities is a Southern California ADU design-build firm — we handle feasibility, design, permits, and construction under one roof. Call 562.810.1965 for a free consultation and site evaluation. CSLB #1138550.
